Take a moment to think about just how long you spend at your desk in the office? You might absolutely love your work and wouldn’t change it for the world, but if you’re there from 9am to 5pm, like most of us, that’s probably longer than you spend in your own bed.
With that in mind, have you thought about the amount of time you spend sitting down? While you might be working incredibly hard, it doesn’t do much good for your body. It’s not the first thing that comes to mind when you’ve got a busy day ahead of you, but sedentary working styles can make it hard to stay fit and healthy.
From the moment you arrive at the office until the second you step out in the evening, you probably take less than 500 steps. It might not sound that bad, until you realise that the average is around 4,000 a day and the NHS recommends doing 10,000.
While pacing around the office may attract a few uncertain looks, it’s important to try and stay as active as possible. How? When you’re spending upwards of 40 hours a week sat in the same spot, it can be difficult. Here are five top ways to ensure that you’re not compromising on your health at the office.
De-stress
Having tight deadlines to meet and other work pressures are bound to lead to stress, but by planning your workload effectively and relaxing outside of the office, you might start to feel a bit better. Did you know that being stressed also means you’re more likely to consume excess calories?
Snack Healthily
While we’re on the subject of food, try to avoid unhealthy snacks. Instead of grabbing a chocolate bar from the vending machine, why not consider a delivery of office fruit at fruitfuloffice.co.uk? You could pitch the idea to your boss – he might even find that it improves productivity and cuts sickness in one fell swoop.
Eat Lunch away from your Desk
Whether you get 10 minutes, half an hour or all afternoon, it’s important to move away from your desk to eat. Instead of picking at that donut while concentrating on some important task throughout your lunch break, step outside into the fresh air. Take a packed lunch with you and go for a walk – even if it’s just around the car park.
Workout at your Desk
It might sound a little crazy, but there are some discreet exercises you can do while sitting at your desk. Instead of slouching further into your chair, sit up straight, tighten those abdominal muscles and do a few leg raises. There’s all sorts of simple exercises that you can do while at the office – and no one will be any wiser.
Run up the Stairs
If you work in an office building, there’s a good chance you’ve got at least one flight of stairs in there. Avoid the lift at all costs and take the stairs – don’t just walk either, run up them and burn a few calories. Each time you’ve got an errand, don’t pass it to someone else – think of it as a chance to improve your health with a quick burst of cardio.
